Support to Disabled Aboriginal Children

Results achieved by the end of project (August 2015): (i) over 2 400 family members participated in workshops on family training basic neurological development and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to help families learn new techniques and approaches to support their children with disabilities; (ii) over 1 000 local partners (e.g. governmental officials teachers local citizens of influence) in Mexico received training to build workshops dealing with value-based personal care (where providers are held accountable for the quality and cost of the services they provide) identifying the motivators for behaviours of concern and supporting positive behaviour; (iii) over 250 families learned how to support their disabled children in gaining new skills including self-advocacy and self-determination; and (iv) over 270 children living with disabilities received support to strengthen their free will and empowerment to make more choices on their own. A final project survey revealed: (i) 80% of families reported less stress in their homes associated with having a child with a disability; (ii) 67% of families reported that their disabled child had increased their self-advocacy through exercising more choices and control over their lives; and (iii) 69% of families reported that the social inclusion of their disabled child had increased since becoming involved with the project. These results have contributed to improving the ability of Mexican aboriginal families to support the development of their disabled children.